Leading British- Pakistani cancer consultant Dr Tariq Shafi has lost life battling the killer virus while working on frontline treating patients. Dr Shafi was working as consultant haematologist at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford, Kent, near London.
Dr Shafi completed his MBBC from King Edward Medical College Lahore in 1984 and came to the UK for specialist training in 1988. Having completed his general medical training in UK, he started Haematology training in Leeds and then trained at King’s College Hospital London.
He also worked in Riyad, Saudi Arabia at the one of the largest teaching and tertiary referral centre in Middle East with a Born Marrow Transplant Unit. Dr Shafi was specialist in blood- related cancer, as well as blood disorder including anaemia and those related to bleeding, brushing and blood clots.
Family sources said after the outbreak of Covid-19 in the UK, Dr Shafi continued to work at his hospital treating cancer patients. They said on 2nd April he developed corona symptoms and he was quarantine at the home. While at home he was still giving regular advice to his patients over the phone.
On 9thApril he was admitted to the hospital where he used to work and was moved to the intensive care on 12 April. Later, he was transferred to the London’s St Thomas Hospital where his condition deteriorated and was put on ventilator. Dr Shafi sadly passed away on Wednesday after being on ventilator for 2 weeks.
Colleagues said that Dr Shafi was highly respected in his profession and devoted his life for the treatment and care of cancer patients. With passion for teaching, he was actively involved in teaching medical students and training young doctors in the field of cancer.
